Admit it: you like big bundts.
I cannot lie: I do. And I'll bet that if you're human, you too have trouble resisting the sweet siren call of a big, beautiful bundt cake.
And who would want to resist a cake like this? The chocolate cake that acts as the base is made with olive oil, which gives it a rich flavor yet light texture. A layer of luxuriant chocolate buttercream comes next, made with bittersweet chocolate for a full, not too-sweet flavor. It’s finished off with a unique olive oil-chocolate ganache; the nutty-sweet-rich combination of flavors in this icing contribute to the robust chocolate flavor, yet also adds a level of sophistication and complexity to the dessert.
Chocolate Cream Filled Chocolate Bundt Cake
Chocolate filled chocolate bundt cake assembly
Prep time: 1 hour
Total time: 3 hours, 50 minutes
- 1 chocolate olive oil bundt cake (recipe follows)
- 1 batch chocolate buttercream filling (recipe follows)
- 1 batch chocolate olive oil ganache topping (recipe follows)
- Optional garnish: sprinkles or candy-coated chocolates
- Line the inside of the same bundt pan you used to bake the cake with plastic wrap, taking care to cover every portion of the inside of the pan with a slight bit of overhang.
- Spoon the buttercream into the lined bundt pan, taking care not to upset the plastic wrap. Spread the buttercream so that it is as smooth and even as possible. Place the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes, or until the buttercream is very firm.
- Meanwhile, using a serrated knife, gently slice off the top third of the bundt cake. You will not need this portion of the cake, so you can put to the side (see ideas for using this cake in the recipe notes).
- Once the buttercream has become quite firm, gently invert the buttercream on top of the cake (let the plastic stay on top for the moment). Gently press the buttercream into the cake to seal them together. Gently Peel off the plastic. The buttercream should rest fairly flush on top of the cake. Place the entire cake back in the freezer for about 20 minutes, so that it will be completely firm when you ice it.
- Ice the cake with your prepared ganache topping, spreading smoothly and confidently as the ganache will begin to firm quickly as it makes contact with the cold buttercream. Place special emphasis on covering up the “seam” between the buttercream and cake on the sides, so that the cake.
- Garnish as desired. Keep this cake chilled, but serve at cool room temperature.
Chocolate olive oil bundt cake
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, plus cooling time
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting the cake pan
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 6 ounces plain yogurt (or sour cream)
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease and dust with cocoa powder a 10-inch bundt pan, and place it on top of a baking sheet.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the eggs, yogurt, milk, olive oil, and vanilla extract. Using the paddle attachment, beat the mixture on low for a few moments to moisten the ingredients, then increase the speed to medium-high. Beat for 2 minutes, pausing to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed, until the mixture is smooth and lump-free. It will be a fairly liquid batter.
- Pour the batter in your prepared cake pan, and place the bundt pan (still on the baking sheet) in the oven.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Chocolate buttercream filling
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 1 bar (3.5 ounces) good quality bittersweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
- pinch salt
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and chocolate until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes on medium speed.
- Stir in the salt, and add the sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing each addition on low so as to avoid a sugar snowstorm in your kitchen, then increasing the speed to high as the sugar is moistened. This will be a rather stiff buttercream.
Chocolate olive oil ganache topping
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes, plus 2 hours cooling time
- 2 bars (3.5 ounces each) good quality bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- ⅔ cup olive oil
- In the top of a double boiler set atop simmering water, or in the microwave, melt the chocolate. Once melted, remove from heat and whisk in the olive oil until the mixture is smooth and cohesive.
- Let the mixture sit at room temperature, whisking or stirring every 20 minutes or so, until it has set enough to ice your cake. This can take between 1 and 2 hours, depending on how warm your kitchen is. If the mixture becomes too firm, beat it with a hand or stand mixer to smooth it out again.
Recipe notes:
- Both the cake and the buttercream filling can be made ahead. The cake can be baked the day before, or it can be made up to two weeks in advance and frozen; if freezing, let the cake come to room temperature before assembling the cake. The buttercream can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Let come to cool room temperature, and vigorously mix, before preparing the recipe.
- In Step 3 of the cake assembly, you’ll notice that a portion of the cake is cut off. This portion of the cake is not used in the recipe, but it doesn’t mean you have to throw it out. This cake can be cut into small pieces and used as an ice cream topping, transformed into cake pops, or cut into slivers and dipped in chocolate olive oil for a sophisticated snack.
